The U.S. just slapped a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports. Plus: Super Bowl freight surged 38%, a $600K chassis theft ring was busted at the Port of LA, and Amazon’s strong Q4 fueled speculation about an Old Dominion acquisition.
US box demand remains weak, continuing the months-long trend. This weak demand, a leading economic indicator, reflects a stunted goods economy. In Q2, the Packaging Corp. of America reported a severe 9.8% decline in box shipments. Despite optimism expressed in Q1, no improvement is in sight. Future forecasts hint at improvement in Q3, but no reasoning was provided. Factors such as reduced regional bank lending, ended SNAP benefits, resuming federal student loan payments, and tightened monetary policy from the Federal Reserve cast doubts over increased box demand. Current box demand mirrors 2017 levels, suggesting no growth in six years.
Hi! I'm Adriana and I've been working for FreightCaviar as Head Writer for a little over a year now. Some of my favorite topics to cover are FreightTech, Green Freight, and nearshoring/reshoring.
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